The Kenexa Survey Implementation Team ensures that organizational surveys not only provide a valid measurement of engagement, but also offer a measurement that is appropriate for each organization. We optimize our survey content, consider the unique variables within each environment and deliver results that directly apply to specific organizational business goals.

To optimize the survey content for each organizational environment, Kenexa consultants and researchers perform any of the following:

Review Historical Data and Relevant Topics
During the pre-survey analysis, our consultants work with designated representatives from each agency to establish the organizational context from which the survey will be conducted. Specific questions related to corporate culture, mission, values and strategic initiatives will form the basis for this pre-survey analysis. Kenexa will review any previous survey instruments to ensure that appropriate benchmarks can be used in the new survey. This includes a review of past survey results and post-survey action planning efforts. 

In addition, any major recent, current or anticipated events will be incorporated into our contextual understanding. Most research projects that Kenexa designs include an environmental analysis. This work ensures that any reported data will be interpreted within the appropriate context. To this end, we will explore such issues as:

• Large-scale reorganizations, especially if immediately preceding data collection
• Unusual levels of executive turnover, both within your organization or within a major competitor
• Senior officer succession within the past 18 months
• Major changes in the product/market environment
• Recent or pending regulations that might impact sales
• The general economic scenario

Historical data can serve as one of the most valuable comparative tools when reporting survey data. To ensure sustained success, a survey must conduct measurement, establish baselines and monitor progress. Historical data is the key to establishing baselines and monitoring progress. The results from previous surveys will establish a trend line from which the organization can measure areas of improvement that have or have not occurred.

Executive/Stakeholder Interviews
Kenexa will conduct interviews with appropriate stakeholders and executives to ensure that key organizational initiatives, major events and corporate cultural attributes are taken into consideration. These interviews will help establish the context of the survey endeavor, prepare the consultants to meet the desired research outcomes and increase top-down buy-in for the survey process.

Review of Organizational Metrics
Kenexa’s consulting team will review key organizational measurements. This includes a review of all metrics that are critical for success. This review will allow our research team to include items that have been linked to these key metrics in other organizations. Ultimately, this will help management teams understand and act on the issues that are most important to long-term success.

Focus Groups
Focus groups can be conducted with each organization’s constituents, facilitated by Kenexa professionals. The questions are designed to elicit participants’ responses to the most important issues within the various group contexts and cultures. It is important to remember that focus groups are not decision-making vehicles. Rather, they are designed to gather as much qualitative information as possible to support the information gathered from the key stakeholder interviews.

Item Bank Review
After all data sources have been reviewed and previous research has been analyzed, Kenexa will incorporate appropriate items from its item bank, include items from previous survey research to maintain trend lines and create new items as needed in order to produce the best possible survey instrument. The database of responses to our items provides a history of how well these items have performed and how they have correlated to organizational outcomes in other organizations. Kenexa’s item bank consists of hundreds of items that have been linked to various organizational metrics. New items are reviewed on an ongoing basis to ensure their effectiveness.

Survey Development
Surveys consist of existing items from previous surveys, items from Kenexa’s research database and newly created items that address the organization’s current situation. Our consultants consider all significant historical and normative data for external comparisons. Kenexa consultants are available to discuss the purpose of each item on the survey and to listen to management to ensure all needs are being addressed. This survey draft will consist of supplemental items that tap into issues that are raised by appropriate departments or units. If appropriate, Kenexa will work with any groups directly to address local issues.

In summary, Kenexa’s efforts for content optimization intended to produce a survey instrument that:

• Maintains the integrity of selected dimensions
• Minimizes the total number of survey items, while providing the desired level of information and linkage to organizational outcomes
• Balances the number of items in each construct
• Properly incorporates the Kenexa Employee Engagement Index into the survey
• Uses previous survey items to allow for trend analysis and benchmarking